Katie Brunk, Pharm.D.
PGY-1 Pharmacy Practice Resident
Carroll Hospital
Social and emotional learning (SEL) refers to a process by which students develop “soft” skills and competencies that have been shown to enhance learning in academia as well as enhancing certain life skills1. The concept promotes the theory that learners should not only be taught to have academic success but also success in real life outside of the academic setting. Skills that SEL promotes include “teamwork and collaboration, problem-solving and conflict resolution, self-regulation and emotion-control, empathy and compassion, creative and global thinking, and goal-setting and perseverance”1. SEL is by no means a new concept. “Emotional intelligence” was first recognized as early as the 1940s, and “social intelligence” has roots as far back as the 1920s2. It has been incorporated into primary and secondary education for decades, and these educators have become the biggest leaders in SEL.
I was casually searching for a “hot topic” in teaching for the blog essay and encountered the movement to integrate social and emotional learning not only in primary and secondary education but also in higher education. I came across an article written about an international conference held this past July in New Jersey. The conference was a gathering of educators, researchers, and scholars from about a dozen countries including the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The focus of the conference was “How Social and Emotional Learning Helps Students in Getting to, Through and Beyond College.”2
However, what data do we have to support incorporating SEL into higher education?
A 2012 study completed at Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania examined the effect of incorporating SEL into the first semester of the freshmen curriculum. Freshmen could opt into a SEL seminar that met twice weekly for 15 weeks, a total of 30 credit hours. Results from the study indicated that students who participated in the SEL seminars had significantly higher GPAs than the comparison group (after stratifying results for different SAT scores and high school GPAs). Seminar students also self reported a growth in social and emotional competence.2 Perhaps students who are exposed to SEL are more prepared the rigorous curriculum and are able to achieve higher academic performance.
When compared to the many educational theories, SEL seems to stems from humanism. Promoters of humanistic education recognize that knowledge and feelings are both part of the process of learning. Humanists believe that true goal of learning is self-actualization of the learner, not earning a “good grade.” And if SEL was incorporated into higher education, the humanistic approach I think would be the best way to “teach” it. There is no need to test students on these concepts.
College and graduate students are faced with more pressure than ever before. Having the skills to overcome this pressure while also doing well in school I think would be extremely beneficial. I think incorporating SEL in higher education would be an excellent way to help these adult learners not only adjust to the challenges they face on their campuses but also eventually in their careers and workplaces. Especially in the United States, our culture as a whole is evolving due to the growing diversity of our population. We should all take the opportunity to learn from each other and with each other. If SEL can be incorporated into college and beyond, I see no reason why pharmacy schools should be left out. I think the addition of SEL would foster in our pharmacy students crucial skills that can be utilized for patient care; the ability to empathize, collaborate, and problem-solve are just a handful of the skills that SEL can promote in pharmacy education.
References
1) Jones L. International collaborative explores social and emotional learning in higher education. Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. 2018. Available from: https://diverseeducation.com/article/119920/
2) Wang N, Wilhite SC, Wyatt J, Young T, Bloemker G, and Wilhite E. Impact of a college freshman social and emotional learning curriculum on student learning outcomes: An exploratory study. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice. 2012;9(2). Available from: http://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/vol9/iss2/8
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